March Madness Factory of Sadness Tournament Championship

MIDWEST REGION

1. Joe Thomas – Thomas has been one of the toughest and most loyal players in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2007, the former Wisconsin Badger has yet to miss a start and has made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 seasons. He is also one of the most iconic athletes in Cleveland. Picking Thomas as a No. 1 seed was easy, simply because he bleeds brown and orange.
2. Francisco Lindor – The young Indians shortstop is not only a fantastic ball player, but he has maybe the most recognizable smile in the game. He never fails to bring positive energy to the ballpark every day. Lindor is one of the best young players in the MLB, as his .306 career average speaks for itself. The 2016 Gold Glove Award winner makes playing infield look easy and is a regular on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays.
3. Tristan Thompson – Also known as “TT” or “Double T”, Thompson, gets criticized all the time for the contract he signed in 2015. Throughout the past year, fans have questioned whether or not Thompson is worth his contract because of his inability to score the ball. However, he has responded by increasing his rebounding and blocks to career-best averages this season, while extending his consecutive-games-played to over 430 games.
4. Mike Weber – Along with Nick Bosa, Weber has some big shoes to fill. Weber is the first running back following the departure of Ezekiel Elliott, who had a terrific year for the Dallas Cowboys last year. Weber finished the season as an 1,000-yard rusher and averaged six yards-per-carry. However, after a disappointing bowl game, Weber has to be looking forward to 2017 much like Buckeye fans.
5. Christian Kirksey – Kirksey was drafted by the Browns back in 2014. Ever since then, he has become a star for the Browns’ defense. He lead the team in tackles in 2016 with 148 tackles, which was good for third in the entire NFL. Kirksey is a versatile, solid young player with a very bright future with the Browns.
6. Richard Jefferson – The Snapchat G.O.A.T himself, RJ may be tied for the oldest player on the Cavs roster, but he plays like he is the youngest. Jefferson said after the Finals that he was going to retire, but as the offseason went on, he decided to come back and go after another ring. It is a good thing he came back because he has been a key cog in the Cavs rotation. Plus, his new podcast with Channing Frye is insanely hilarious.
7. Joel Bitonio – After signing a contract this offseason, Bitonio is now the second-highest-paid offensive guard in the NFL, and very deservingly so. Bitonio has been a wall for the Browns ever seen joining the league back in 2014. Despite suffering a foot injury late last season, Bitonio should be ready to go for Week 1 for the Browns this year.
8. Jose Ramirez – 2016 was a special year for Ramirez, who developed into one of the most clutch hitters in all of baseball, hitting .312 with 76 RBIs. The question becomes: can he keep it up? If the Indians want to do great things again this year, they are going to need the same kind of production from Ramirez. Hopefully that helmet falls off on plenty more doubles this year, so everyone can see that awesome head of hair.